Chef Guy Fieri To Drive Indy 500 Pace Car

You never know where Guy Fieri will pop up next. The Food Network star is part chameleon and part enigma. He has played the role of game show host, shot an Aflac commercial, and taught live cooking classes that are more akin to rock concerts. It's a diverse portfolio that leaves some questioning who Fieri really is.

But on Sunday, the 44-year-old celebrity chef with spiked, bleached-blond hair will be in his true comfort zone driving the pace car at the Indianapolis 500.

"There are races and then there are races," Fieri said in a press release. "And without a doubt, the Indy 500 is the race that I've always wanted to attend. And now, to be driving the Corvette Pace Car ... this is going to be unbelievable."

Anyone who has watched "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" knows about Fieri's automotive passion. He opens and closes every episode with his prized, red 1968 Chevrolet Camaro SS convertible. It's just one in a stable of classic cars that gear heads would drool over. Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Jeff Belskus was well aware of Fieri's hobby when they tapped him to lead the pack this weekend.

"He's full of energy and is a longtime 'car guy' -- a perfect match for 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,'" Belskus said.

At the 96th running of the Indy 500, Fieri will be driving the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 pace car. It's a company he's familiar with, not only owning the '68 Camaro, but a half dozen other Chevy vehicles. The Corvette ZR1 that Fieri will drive at Indianapolis is powered by a supercharged, 6.2-liter LS9 engine. It tops out at 205 mph, making it the fastest production car Chevrolet has ever made.

Unfortunately for Fieri, he won't get to go anywhere near that as he leads the 33-car pack on the famed flying start.

But with 638 horsepower under the hood and no chance of a speeding ticket, it's anyone's guess what the culinary wild man might do on Sunday.

-- Adam Watson is the food czar at ThePostGame. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamKWatson.

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